Conventionally, a protective glove for a firefighter, an emergency rescue worker, or another worker in a high-heat area has an outer shell, which is made from a suitable leather, such as cowhide or elkhide, and which comprises a leather face having a peripheral edge, a leather back having a peripheral edge, and a leather forchette. When the protective glove is worn, the leather face is worn over the palm of the wearer's hand, the leather back is worn over the back of the wearer's hand, and the leather forchette separates the leather face and the leather back.
The leather forchette has a peripheral edge, which is sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather face and a peripheral edge sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather back. In a protective glove of a simpler construction, the leather forchette is omitted and the peripheral edge of the leather back is sewn to the peripheral edge of the leather face.
Conventionally, whether or not the leather forchette is utilized, the protective glove has an intermediate liner providing a moisture barrier, or a moisture and chemical barrier, and an inner liner providing thermal insulation. When the protective glove is worn, air within the protective glove also provides thermal insulation.
Although an outer shell made from a suitable leather, such as cowhide or elkhide, provides multiple advantages including puncture resistance, abrasion resistance, and flexibility, an outer shell made from such a leather has an undesirable tendency to shrink around the wearer's hand, whereby to drive insulative air from the protective glove, when the outer shell is exposed to high heat, particularly at the leather back.